Drive for washing and wringing unit



Jan. 6, 1953 A. H. HARTMANN DRIVE FOR WASHING AND WRINGING UNIT 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1945 i/ L r [I7 I I02,

INVENTOR Aueusr H. HHRTNHNN ATTORNEY Hum Jan. 6, 1953 A. H. HARTMANN2,624,203

DRIVE FOR WASHING AND WRINGING UNIT Filed Sept. 4, 1945 3 SheetsSheet 2unnnn Wm 01''. ZIIIIvI,

- INVENTOR Ausus-T H HH/PTMANN ATTORPLEY Jan. 6, 1953 A. H. HARTMANNDRIVE FOR WASHING AND WRINGING UNIT BYNuMy W AT oRN EY Patented Jan. 6,1953 UNITED sTAres BATENT OFFICE miwamawisme ANn wnmcifidhhnii August H.naiimanmoamsna, Calif. Application September 4, 1945; Serial No. 614,121

5 Claims.

The invention relates to a clothes washing and wringing unit arrangedfor use with a wash tray for performing washing operations upon clothingin the tray and thereafter wringing out the washed clothing. H K A Ageneral object is to provide an improved and particularly effectivedrive-for an oscillating washing agitator. V v 4 t r t Another object isto provide an improved drive for the actuation of a clothes wringer ofthe unit.

A further object is toprovide conveniently located and mutuallyindependent controls for the agitator, and wrin elf ofthe unit.

Yetanother o ect i to Pro ide? a o. larly ready removal and replacementof the washing agitator. v H I I v} The invention possesses otherobjects and featunes f a t m f wh withi m going, will be set forth or heapparent inthe following descriptions of typical embodiments thereof,and in the accompanying drawings in which, t

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a unit embodying features ofthepresent invention'and mounted in use position upon a domestie wash trayfixture, portions of the wash tray being' broken awayt'l Figure 2 is aplan view of the unit, the cover andv operating motor andwringerbeingremoved.

Figure 3' is an elevation takenionithebroken linej. 3'-"'3 .in Figure 2;portions of the" supporting tray and the agitator beingjomitted.

Figure-4 is a sectional elevation at the line 4-;4 in Figure 2, theviewjncluding the cover portion Figure 5 is a, fragmentary section "atthe line ti -5 in Figure V f.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section at the line 6-6inFigure 2. Figure '7is a fragmentary section at the line 1-4 in Figure 5. v Figure 8 is asection at the line 8-8 in Figure 2. Figure 9 is a section at the line9-9 in Figure'8. Figure 10 is a section at the line In -l in Figure 9. j,7 j Figure 11 is a fragmentary top view of a clutchcontrol means showninFigure 7. t Y

Figure 12 is a plan view similar to that of Figure 2, and discloses aunit having a drive mechanism embodying certainmodifications of thedrive mechanism of the first embodiment.

Figures 13 to 16 inclusiveare sections taken on the lines I3-l 3 and.- Il-l4 and |-l5 and IG-IB respectively of Figure 12. a,

-A disclosed in-the embodiment of Figuresl to 11inclusive,-themechanlSmof-a washing and wringing unit J8, is. mounted ona base plate 191 which, is arranged, for supported disposal uponandacross the top of a wash tray 2| having up- Qqmnlet a. 9. 9 s pac i na n j q sm in. .ngqh ni .m o th unit;

The. ws e i :bffihe. ire unit 8. gr.- ranged tobe operated from anelectric motor mounted on the base plate I9 and having its shaft 3|.extending into the space 28 through aside wall 2 of said space. The wall32 i's parallel to the rear wall'33 of the'space 28 which extendsalong'jand adjacentjthe rear edge IQ of the base plate IBI'andiS spacedfrom the front edge l9' of thefplateto provide forthe' mounting of thematch-291,111 front of itl- "Walls 34 and 35 extend forwardly fromthedifferent ends of the wall 32 t v provide sidsiforamoto'rl-i see;tdabfov the plate; in the" present wan-3.4 is adjacent and paralleLtothe, left ,of thebasj plate cradles 3] exte d integrally. om he basjelate withinthejspac'e 3.610: su' rtingthe rnotori in appropriate" posititherein. and ,cover ,21" is provided, with a'rrdiitpcrt o 3e:-dependingi'blow thfllevel of. itsplanepffsupporton-thejbase walls and tothe basej'plate jedgejat {the front of the space 36 for fullyclosing"the'jspace 36"at1its front. 1

forwardlyf'irom theleft side end of the rear wall 33 'to a' juncturejwiththe'wall 32, and a front wall l'l e'xtendsjfromi the forward end ofthe wall 35 fig: a juncture"'withtheforward end of the right-side endwall '42' extending forwardlyfrom the rear wall 33. The ibottom portionof" the space 28- is thus laterally-and jointly defined within thelwalls'33and' 39and" 32 and 35 and M and l2 taken in order:v 1A partition 43connects the tvalisj32 and 3-3oto the right of the 'shaft'3l. Atthecorners defined atthe juncture points of the-ivarious 'wallsdefiningthej'spa'ce '28, fillets 44 are provided for stiifening the structurethereat, said iillets being provided with threaded openings extendingdownwardly from their top ends for receivingthe screws by which thecover 21 is secured upon the; wall structure; Upright ribs 44' areprovide'd--as--needed at intermediate points of "The left-end wal1f3 9of the, space 28 extends 3 the rear wall 33 and front wall 6! forperforming the functions of the fillets 44 thereat.

It will now be noted that a jack-shaft it is mounted in the space 28 inparallel relation to the wall 33, said shaft being carried in andbetween suitable bearings 46 and 4! and d8 provided respectively at thewall 39 and partition Q3 and a bearing block 49 spaced from theright-end casing wall 42; as indicated, the bearing 16 includesend-thrust anti-friction bearings for preventing an axial displacementof the shaft 45. Driving of the shaft 55 is effected by the operation ofa worm gear 5! carried on the motor shaft 3i and constantly engaging aspur gear 52 fixed on the shaft 45; in this manner, the shaft 65 isarranged to be rotated with the motor shaft.

The present jack-shaft 55 is arranged to actuate an agitator 53suspended from the base plate IQ for its oscillating operation withinthe space of a tray. As particularly shown, the agitator 53 has a flatbase portion from which its side face tapers conically upwardly to asleeve end which is arranged to complementarily and slidably receive thebottom end of a stem member 5% which is mounted for oscillation withoutaxial displacement. Radial webs 53' extend from the flat base portion ofthe agitator to points near its top, and the stem member 54 and the boreof the agitator sleeve portion which complementarily receives the stemare of rectangular cross-section for insuring oscillating movements ofthe stem and agitator together. While the bottom of the agitator mightengage the tray bottom 25 for the support of the agitator thereon, a setscrew 55 is preferably provided in the sleeve portion of the agitatorfor engaging the inserted stem to secure the agitator in adjusted spacedrelation to the tray bottom.

At its upper end, the stem member 54 carries a sleeve 53 fixed theretoand extending upwardly of the stem extremity for receiving the lower endof a shaft 5? which depends from the base plate IS in its bore. Abayonet slot 58 is provided in the side of the sleeve 56 above the topof the stern 5 3 for receiving a pin 59 extending radially from theshaft 57 at a point nearits bottom end; the arrangement is essentiallysuch that the stem-and-agitator assembly is supported upon the pin 59,but may be readily released from its suspended support on the shaft 5?by lifting and rotating it slightly to free the pin from the bayonetslot 58, whereby the agitator may be detached if and when the unit isbeing placed on or removed from its mounted position on the tray.

The shaft 5? is journalled in an upright bearing sleeve '53 provided bythe plate l9 and extending upwardly of the plate to at least the levelof the axis of the drive shaft 45, said level determining the maximumdepth of the liquid lubricant which is provided and maintained in thecasing space 28 for the lubrication of all wearing parts of themechanism therein; see Figure 4. While the present arrangement permitslittle, if any, escape of lubricant along the shaft 57, the latter maycarry a sealedly encircling member 6| at a point below the sleeve 69 andcooperative with the shaft to provide an annular cup for trapping anylubricant which may escape along the shaft. A cap-like member 62 ispinned or otherwise fixed to the upper end of the shaft 57, encloses thetopof the sleeve 6%, receives the bearing ring 53 disopsed upon the topof the sleeve 66 for the rotative support of this member thereon andprovides a spur gear 54 integral therewith.

A stub shaft 55 extends upwardly from the base plate 9 at a pointbetween the shaft 57 and the jack-shaft in a plane perpendicular to thejack-shaft axis and rotatably mounts a member 66 providing a segmentalgear 6? coaxial with the axis of swinging of the member and in meshingengagement with the gear 64. The member further provides an arm 58 atits bottom, and is supported upon the underlying base plate portion on abearing ring 69. Means are provided for oscillating the member 66 aboutthe shaft 65 whereby its segmental gear '57 may oscillate the shaft 5!and the agitator. Preferably and as shown, the pitch diameter of thesegmental gear El is greater than the pitch diameter of the gear 6:whereby the agitator may be oscillated through a greater turn angle thanis the gear '61.

As particularlyillustrated, the means for oscillating the member 66comprises a cam member H consisting of a tubular hub "i2 rotatablymounted upon the shaft 45 and provided with a continuous encirclingflange 13 of uniform thickness axially of its hub, of uniform heightradially of the hub, having its radial surface elements perpendicular tothe shaft axis, and having the general plane of its periphery oblique tosaid axis. Mutually spaced and upstanding rollers 74 are provided at thefree end of the arm of the member 56 for constantly receiving the cam,fiange F3 in contacting engagement between them, the arrangement beingsuch that a rotation of the cam is operative by reason of theprogressive engagement of different portions of the cam flange 73between the rollers to rock the member 6'3 about its aXis and sooscillate the agitator through the c-o-action of the segmental gear 6?with the gear 54 on the shaft 511'. As particularly shown, the baseplate I9 is provided with a depressed portion beneath the member 65 asrequired for its installation and the operation of its arm 53 beneaththe cam member I i.

In the present structure, the cam member H has its hub 72 held againstaxial movement along the shaft 45 between collars 15 fixed on the shaft.The hub end nearest the drive gear 52 is cylindrically recessed toreceive the collar 15 thereat. and said hub end is provided with clutchteeth 16 extending axially therefrom toward a clutch collar ll slidableon and splined to the drive shaft 45 for movement to selectively disposeteeth 78 thereof between or axially spaced from the clutch teeth is ofthe hub H in this manner the cam member H is arranged to be driven fromthe shaft 45. As particularly shown, the collar 77 is provided with anannular peripheral groove in which the arms of a shift fork 79 arearranged to be constantly engaged. The fork it extends from a hub 8|which is slidably mounted upon a stub-shaft at which extends from thecasing partition 43 in a line parallel to and above the shaft @5.

Adjustments of the fork it along the stub shaft 8?. are arranged to beeffected by a means provided on the cover 2?. As particularlyillustrated (Figures 4 and 7 and 11) an upright stem 83 is journalled ina boss provided on the cover and mounts an adjustment lever 84 formovement over the boss face between limiting positions in which it isreleasably held by a spring detent 85 mounted in the boss andselectively operative in sockets provided in the opposed face of afanshaped lever extension. An arm 85 extends from the stem 83 beneaththe cover and is provided with a depending pin 81 which constantlyengages in a slot 88 provided across the top of the fork hub 23!. Thearrangement is such that a lever 84 may be optionally set for theengagement or disengagement of the described clutch which controls theoperation of the cam member H from the shaft 45.

It will now be noted that the jack-shaft 45 is also used for actuating aclothes wringer 89, said wringer being mounted on the front wall M at abracket 9| fixed to the wall to extend over a tray port-ion not coveredby the unit. A shaft 92 is journalled in and between the casing walls 33and ll, and extends through the latter at the bracket 9! for operativeengagement with the drive shaft of the mounted wringer, as indicated inFigures 2 and 8. Means are preferably provided for reversedly actuatingthe wringer from the drive shaft 55 independently of the use of thelatter shaft to actuate the washing agitator 53, said means generallycomprising a gear connection through a suitable clutch device.

As particularly shown, the end of the shaft 65 beyond the bearing block49 mounts a bevel gear 93 which is in constant engagement at oppositesides thereof with bevel gears 94 and 95 rotatable on a shaft 96 whichis journalled in and between the walls 33 and GI opposite the end of theshaft 35 and coplanar therewith. The gears 94 and 95, while rotatablewith respect to the shaft 96, are retained in engagement with the gear93, and their mutually opposed hub ends are provided with clutch teethfor cooperative engagement respectively with clutch teeth provided atopposite ends of a clutch sleeve 91 which is slidably mounted on theshaft 95 and is splined thereto for rotation therewith. The sleeve 9! isprovided with a peripheral annular groove 93 in which the arms of ashift fork 99 are operative in a usual manner. In the present structure,the wringer-operating shaft 92 is disposed vertically above the shaft 96and carries a spur gear Iill which constantly meshes with a spur gearHi2 fixed on the shaft 95; as shown, the gear It! is smaller than thegear I522 whereby the shaft 92 may be driven at a faster rate than isthe shaft 93. The shift fork 99 depends from a sleeve member I03slidably mounted upon the shaft 92 and function-ing as a support andguide means for the fork.

Control of the positioning of the shift fork 99 is arranged to beeffected by means of a hand lever I94 mounted on and operative above thecover 2'! in an arrangement generally similar to that of the clutchcontrol lever 84 for the agitator drive connections. The lever IE4 ismounted on a stem m5 which carries a radial arm I06 beneath the coverfrom which a pin Isl slidably engages in a slot I08 provided across thetop of the fork sleeve I03. A spring detent I69 is operative beneath aradial extension HI of the lever I64 for selective disposal in any oneof three sockets provided in the under face of the extension, wherebythe lever may be selectively set for inoperatively or operativelydisposing the clutch sleeve with respect to the bevel gears. It will beunderstood that with the drive arrangements now described for theagitator and wringer, either or both may be actuated from the commondrive shaft 45.

Since the present unit I8 is arranged for its removable mounting upon awash tray 2i, means are preferably provided for releasably fixing theunit in place upon the tray. Figure 3 discloses a securing arrangementin which members H2 and H3 mounted on the under side of the base plateI9 and simultaneously reactive with the mutually opposed inner faces ofthe tray ends 22 for securing the unit I8 in set position upon the topviding a laterally offset rollers I'M receiving 6 of the tray. Themember I I2 comprises a thumb screw which is engaged through a lug H4depending from the plate l9 near one side thereof, while the member I I3comprises a thrust bar prowall-engaging foot H5 at longitudinal slot forreceiving a thumb screw IIB which is operative to clamp the set baragainst the under side of a lug I I1 depending from the base plate. Thelug I I1 is appreciably spaced from the wringer side of the base platewhereby the member I I3 is adjustable for fitting the securing means totrays of different widths. When a unit has been positioned upon a traywith the point of the screw I I2 engaging a tray end 22, the member II3is set with its foot H5 engaging the other tray end, the screw IIGistightened, and the screw H2 is then finally tightened to provideforcible securing reactions of it and the foot I I5 with the oppositetrayends.

The embodiment of Figures 12 to 16 inclusive discloses certainmodifications in the driving of an agitator shaft 5'! and a wringer froma common shaft I45. The shaft hi5 carries a cam H as in the firstembodiment for actuation with the shaft through the clutch collar Hwhich is controlled by the fork I9 from the hand lever 86. In thepresent structure, a member use is mounted for reciprocation upon thebase i is in a line par allel to the axis of the shaft 55 and provides alongitudinal rack bar it! having its teeth constantly meshing with thegear 6% of the agitator shaft 57. The present member W6 is provided witha longitudinal groove IE8 of uniform crosssections in its top, and afixedly mounted bar I89 which is engaged in the groove as a guide meansfor the member and is carried on posts i'lfi extending from the baseplate 1 IS). A plate member I89 is mounted on the member IBil andextends laterally therefrom over the member IBE to retain the memberagainst an upward movement from its operative position; the member I69might be integral with the member lee if desired.

Stub shafts extend laterally from the member 66 toward the axis of theshaft Hi5 and carry the flange I13 of the cam member H between them,whereby, as the member 'II is, rotated, the member IE5 is reciprocatedto oscillate the shaft 51 through the coaction of the rack and gear. Itwill be noted that the horizontal axes of the rollers I'M areperpendicular to and coplanar with the axis of the shaft I45, whereas,in the first embodiment, the axes of the rollers 14 are upright andparallel and have their common plane in different angular relations tothe shaft axis in different positions thereof.

In the present structure, the shaft M5 is extended beyond a bearing itsinto a bearing I15 in the right-end wall M2 of the base H9 correspondingto the base IQ of the first embodiment, and the shaft portion betweenthe bearings I42! and I15 carries a helical gear I93 which meshes with acomplementary helical gear I94 mounted on a wringer-actuating shaft I92journalled in and between the front and rear casing walls I33 and IM,with the shaft I92 extending forwardly through and from the wall I33 ata wringersupporting bracket I9! for driving connection with a wringer(not shown) mounted on the bracket. The worm gear I94 is rotatablymounted upon the shaft I92, and one end of its hub I94 is provided withclutch teeth for complementary engagement with clutch teeth provided atthe opposed end of a shift sleeve l9?! splined to the shaft andshiftable to engage 0r disengage its one end and having a 7*teethgwiththoseof the hub I94; a collar 184'}- is fixed to the shaft 192at theopposite side ofthe earlQA-from the ;lut.ch,means to maintain thegear incontact with the gear I 93.,

The shiftv sleeve I9! is provided with an annular groove I98 slidablyreceiving a. shift finger I99 provided by a member-200 which is slidablysupported on-the shaft 1 92 at the opposite end of the sleeve from itsclutch face; As particularly shown, the member 20!! is longitudinallygrooved fromebelow to slidablyand rotatably receive the shaft, andtheupper end of this member is engaged'by guide tracks 20! dependingfrom, the casing cover 12'! into complementary grooves in the top of themember for securing the member in upright position upon the shaft I92. Ahand lever 204 is mounted on the top of the cover I21 on a stem 205which carries a gear 206 beneath the cover for operative engagement witha rack 20'! provided at the top of the member 200, whereby the lever isoperative to shift the member between a pair of limiting positions inwhich the clutch is respectively disengaged or engaged. In eneralreference to this clutch control and those provided for the firstembodiment, it is noted that the lifting away of the cover carrying theclutch control levers is all that is necessary for disengaging the leverassemblies from the shift forks, ready access to the unit mechanism thusbeing provided for.

Since the present drive of the wringer-actuating shaft I92 from theshaft 45 is not reversible, the drive motor M is preferably of thereversible type, as is indicated by the showing ofa two-way switch 298in Figure 12, it being understood that it may be desired or necessary toreverse the wringer and that the direction of the rotation of the shaftM is unimportant as far as the operative oscillating actuation of theagitator is concerned.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and operation of thepresent Washing and wringing units will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art to which the present inventions appertain. While Ihave described the features and principles of operation of assemblieswhich I now consider to comprise preferred embodiments of my invention,I desire to have it understood that the showings are primarilyillustrative, and that such changes and developments may be made, whendesired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a washer unit arranged for mounting on the rim of a wash tray, asupport base providing a basin for a lubricant and having a laterallyclosed tubular boss extending upwardly from the basin bottom to a levelabove the lubricant in the basin and having its bore extend through thebasin bottom, an agitator shaft depending from the base and journalledin the bore of the boss and directly supported upon the top of the boss,a horizontal drive shaft mounted on the base and extending within thebasin space, means coactive between the shafts and entirely Within thelubricant in the basin for oscillating said agitator shaft, and thrustmembers adjustably mounted on and beneath the basin bottom for theircooperative projection against opposite points of the side of themounting tray for fixing the unit in laterally adjusted position on thetray rim.

2. In a washer unit arranged for its fixed mounting upon the top of awash tray, a support base providing a basin for lubricant and having alaterally closed ,tubular boss extending upwardly a level above thelubri-- extending within the lubricant space, a drive cam carried by thedrive shaft for rotation therewith andcomprising a cam flange oblique tothe shaft axis, and a unitary element movably mounted on said'baseWithin the lubricant in the basin and having mutually fixed partsdirectly connecting said cam flange and gear for an oscillative drivingof the latter from the former as the drive shaft is rotated.

3. In a washer unit for clothing and the like,

a base arranged for support in fixed position upon the rim of a washtray, an upright agitator shaft depending through the base and mountinga drive gear above the base, a drive shaft carried by the base inoverlying relation to it and in the plane of the gear, a drive camcarried by the drive shaft and providing a continuous and uniformone-turn radial cam fiange oblique to the shaft axis, an elementmovableon said base for movement between limiting positions thereof andproviding a fork means fixedly related thereto and constantly engagingthe cam flange for efiecting an actuation of the element between itslimiting positions as the cam is rotated, and a direct gear connectionbetween the element andthe gear of the agitator shaft disposed solely onthe cam side of the shaft gear.

4. In a Washer unit for clothng and the like, a base for fixed supportupon and above a wash tray and providing an upwardly-open basin spacefor a lubricant, an upright agitator shaft sealedly depending throughthe base bottom and mounting a drive gear in said space, a drive shaftcarried by the base in said space and in the plane of said gear, a drivecam carried by the drive shaft and comprising a tubular hub rotativelyreceiving the drive shaft and mounting a continuous cam flange obliqueto the shaft axis, a clutch means directly operative to releasablyconnect the cam hub with the drive shaft for rotation therewith, anelement movable on said base in a horizontal plane and between limitingpositions thereof and engaging the cam flange for an actuation of theelement between its limiting positions as the cam is rotated, a directgear connection in said space between the element and the gear of theagitator shaft, a removable cover for said space, and amanually-settable control member for the clutch carried by said cover.

5. In a washing and wringing unit of the character described, a basearranged for its removable and fixedly positioned support upon the rimof a wash tray and providing a continuous side wall extending upwardlyfrom a bottom wall to provide a basin space for receiving a lubricant,means on the base mounting a jack-shaft in said space in horizontaldisposition, an upright agitator-operating shaft supportedly dependingthrough the base bottom from Within said space, a wringeroperating shaftsupportedly extending through the basin side wall from within saidspace, a motor means mounted on the base for effecting a continuousrotation of the jack-shaft, mutually independent drive connectionsbetween the jack shaft and the agitator and wringer shafts, a clo- 9sure cover for said basin space removably supported on said wall, andcontrol members for the different drive connections carried by the coverand extending upwardly from the connections through the cover to providefor manual settings thereof from above the cover.

AUGUST H. HARTMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 720,140 Hausfeld Feb. 10, 1903867,121 Frenier Sept. 24, 1907 1,269,740 Pinkney June 18, 1918 Number 15Number Name Date Mars June 29, 1926 Morehouse et a1. May 3, 1927Thompson Aug. 21, 1928 Rempe Dec. 17, 1929 Labisky July 14, 1931 CooperOct. 13, 1936 Hirstel Oct. 26, 1937 Jackson Dec. 6, 1938 Woodkin Oct.15, 1940 Kaufman July 7, 1942 Jackson Apr. 17, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTSCountry Date France Mar. 29, 1929

